Adam, I haven't used one of those high nit monitors and I'm sure I'd like anything fully featured and around 1500 nits. However there may be times when you have an advantage with the BMVF. For example, if the sun is above and behind you, it may still hinder the usefulness of an external monitor for critical focus as it shines back in your eyes. And when you shoulder mount the Mini, the BMVF may be a better option.

Not sure why you don't want to remove your glasses since the diopter adjustment on the BMVF covers a wide range that easily accommodates my vision correction.

Having both eyes open while using the BMVF may just require some muscle memory retraining. When the Mini is on your shoulder, your left eye can remain open to follow the scene while your right eye concentrates on the detailed BMVF OLED HD image. When tripod mounted at times your left eye can serve the same function but often when open at the angle you have your head, it may be looking at the floor. But your brain is a marvelous instrument that can just ignore information that's irrelevant. After awhile of forcing your eyes both to remain open, it will be more natural and relaxing.

After giving it a fair shake to adapt to the BMVF, if you still hate it, sell it and buy the SmallHD model of your choice. You're not doomed to use the BMVF because you have it.

The one major constraint of the BMVF is the lack of flexibility in position of the eyepiece. Sometimes you can't really reach it to use it as intended. In those situations, I've set it to false colour and looked at it from a distance to monitor exposure while I've opened up the internal monitor for focus and framing. So still useful then. And that Wooden Camera BMVF conversion looks very tempting now my warranty has expired.

rick.lang wrote:Adam, I haven't used one of those high nit monitors and I'm sure I'd like anything fully featured and around 1500 nits. However there may be times when you have an advantage with the BMVF. For example, if the sun is above and behind you, it may still hinder the usefulness of an external monitor for critical focus as it shines back in your eyes. And when you shoulder mount the Mini, the BMVF may be a better option.

Not sure why you don't want to remove your glasses since the diopter adjustment on the BMVF covers a wide range that easily accommodates my vision correction.

Having both eyes open while using the BMVF may just require some muscle memory retraining. When the Mini is on your shoulder, your left eye can remain open to follow the scene while your right eye concentrates on the detailed BMVF OLED HD image. When tripod mounted at times your left eye can serve the same function but often when open at the angle you have your head, it may be looking at the floor. But your brain is a marvelous instrument that can just ignore information that's irrelevant. After awhile of forcing your eyes both to remain open, it will be more natural and relaxing.

After giving it a fair shake to adapt to the BMVF, if you still hate it, sell it and buy the SmallHD model of your choice. You're not doomed to use the BMVF because you have it.

The one major constraint of the BMVF is the lack of flexibility in position of the eyepiece. Sometimes you can't really reach it to use it as intended. In those situations, I've set it to false colour and looked at it from a distance to monitor exposure while I've opened up the internal monitor for focus and framing. So still useful then. And that Wooden Camera BMVF conversion looks very tempting now my warranty has expired.

No, you are doomed, doomed! Well, not really, I have been using EVFs for more than 20 years, as there were no Odr options for on the shoulder shooting, or shooting outside. I also wear glasses, and have found most eye cups can be rolled back, to allow,you to get the glasses next to the eyepiece. Make sure you set the diopter correctly, so you can see the EVF display. You are very lucky, with an OLED EVF, should make using it much better than the old CRT EVFs of old!

Seriously, as Rick pointed out, it takes some practice and a little training to get the hang of using a EVF. Give it a go. Also, you can get thrived party eye shields that go,on the EVF, and allow you to get your glasses inside the envy, blocking out stray light, similar to an over size eye cut, useually made of material, not rubber, and Velcro onto the EVF. I have the E-Cuf, used one for years, they come in serval sizes and work great for eye glass wearers. See http://www.i-cuff.com/reviews.htmlCheers

I personally prefer to operate with an EVF because I beleive it allows me to concentrate on composition. It's also a more consistent reference for exposure and colour balance, immune to the changing ambient colour and brightness.

Maybe people also prefer to operate from screens and monitors and for some it's prefered because you can see more of the environment around you.

There's no right or wrong, and at least if you own the EVF you can choose either option.

It might also help you to get a better EVF mount to allow you to put the EVF into more comfortable operating positions.

Something like this mod that also improves your connectivity to the EVF.

Could have used that Wooden Camera BMVF conversion kit in yesterday's shoot as I experienced the problem I mentioned in my earlier post not being able to operate the camera and reach the BMVF. Used it to monitor false colour from a distance and struggled to see the 5" monitor in bright sun, but I got my shots. Praise Grant!

Seriously though if you can't shoot with an EVF I wouldn't hire you. I wouldn't recommend anyone else to hire you. That might seem harsh but I don't believe you can do some aspects of the job properly without an EVF. So why would I hire anyone without a complete skill set?You really do need to get comfortable using an EVF if you want to progress in the industry. Honestly its not hard just a matter of practice and I'm sure once you see the benefits you will grow to love the EVF, especially one as good as the OLED on the BM... and it is good.

There are so many situations where using an evf isn't suitable; steadicam, gimbals, cranes, shooting in tight spaces. I love using monitors because I feel a lot safer when moving with the camera, I can look around easily. I feel lucky being in an age where you can get 2000 nit monitors that work when the sun is shining directly on them. It would be cool if BMs next URSA Mini had a detachable monitor. It would keep the weight down and allow other placement options.

It's not like I shoot every day though, it's not my day job, I'm genuinely curious about which aspects of the job can't be done properly without an evf

For on the shoulder I just mount the monitor to one side of the matte box and set up the rig with a very low centre of gravity and balance perfectly in front of and behind the shoulder.To be honest I come from a drawing and painting background, so seeing a composition on a monitor reminds me more of thatI'm sure perhaps it's personal preference but monitors work fine for me

Sure you can make a monitor work, but it is akward. Also, you are loosing your third point of contact with the camera, and will have reduced camera control. For good on the shoulder shooting (and most tripod work) you need to become one with the camera.

The EVF gets you tucked into the camera, you can see the camera settings, your image frame, timecode and audio display, etc. also your head contact with the EVF helps to steady the camera and puts you in the correct shooting stance, one foot forward, knees relaxed, elbows in... etc. You can stand up with your feet together, but you are not as stable. Same with a monitor vs EVF, you can do it, but not the best, or the most stable way to go. Cheers

Any "career" operator would beg to differ on preferring a monitor for the reasons already mentioned.

Yes there are times when an external monitor is better, but from a craft and movement point of view, I don't know any professional operators that prefer to work off of monitors unless they have to.

When you look through an evf it's about how connect physically to the camera, how you interface with it, how you move it. It's the same with many elements like the hand grips, the shoulder pad, the position of the handles, the material the handles are made from. Your whole body is more connected to the camera when you're looking through the EVF.https://flic.kr/p/pFz1Gq

Having a monitor in a position that is viewable when the camera is on your shoulder usually means having the to put the camera in a very awkward position in terms of balance fore and aft. In my experience, so that you're not testing your close focus capabilities, that means the monitor ends up out in front of you and it's often in front of the matteboxe, depending on the lens being used.

A lot of RED users also started shooting this way, simply because the early RED EVF's weren't very reliable and were very late shipping. Same again with the EPIC, they EVF was delayed like nearly 2 years.

https://flic.kr/p/6eG76vRelying here on an after market EPL. When operating a geared head like this the rod keeps the EVF in the same place no matter what the camera is doing. You'd have to take the monitor off board for that to happen on a geared head.

It really depends on what was the first device you got used to working on.

I worked on an industrial video where the young-ish director told the DP that he could not work with an EVF. I found that an odd comment but then realized that if you got into the industry using a DSLR with the screen on the back, that is what you know and feel comfortable with.

I find that one of the advantages of the EVF is that it is another point of contact to steady the camera when doing hand held. Using the head to rest the camera against.

Lets not forget that as you get older the eyesight changes and eventually you need an assistant to hold the monitor 2 feet away.